Hot Chocolate Is The Finishing Touch
by rvaleardis
Summary: Arthur is oblivious, what else is new? Modern AU


Merlin Emrys had an obsession with hot chocolate. In his lifetime he had tried every recipe of hot chocolate he could find. He had hot chocolate themed items around his flat. The kitchen didn't have much in it to make a meal but it did have the ingredients for at least 3 different hot chocolate recipes in copious amounts.

Arthur was beginning to worry. His best friend had an unhealthy obsession.

"Arthur we have discussed this time and time again," Merlin exclaimed as he took off his outer coat coming inside his flat.

"Leave my hot chocolate adoration alone! I do not get on your case about your bloody football crap."

"Merlin I care about football but not to this amount! All you talk about is that damned beverage! I mean it is the only thing your brain can think about!"

Arthur followed Merlin through the door, shedding his winter coat along and placing his boots next to Merlin's.

Arthur and Merlin had been best friends since their third year in university. Now they both had graduated and lived in London. Arthur is the head of the marketing department at his father's business and Merlin owns his own successful shop. It is a shop that specializes in… hot chocolate. He sells other things as well. He deals with baked goods, coffee, and tea.

Now, Merlin may be a tad obsessed with hot chocolate but Arthur is blowing his obsession out of proportion!

 _This argument is ridiculous! Why must we have it over and over again?!_ Merlin thinks.

By now Arthur and Merlin had turned on the heat and congregated in the living room, making themselves comfortable on the sofa.

"This is the first time I have been able to properly sit down with you and speak. I have tried to get in a conversation here and there or even invited to hang out but you have been blowing off in order to work on something related to the damn chocolate!" Arthur's hands were moving around wildly as he ranted.

"In case you forgot I run a shop that SPECIALIZES in hot chocolate! The reason that I am so busy is because it is nearing February and I have to have different recipes readily available for each week. I told you this a month ago. I truly do not understand where this is coming from."

Arthur's face resembled every red color out there. His blush spread from his face and down his neck.

"It comes from not being able to spend time with you. I miss you ok?! There I said it."

"Arthur, we live together. We see each other every day. We eat breakfast together most times and we even watch television in the afternoons together."

While Merlin had a good point, there was a tidbit of information he did not know which made his conclusion a little skewed.

Arthur had fallen for his best friend. Yes, he knew he was a cliché but he couldn't help himself. There Merlin was looking all majestic with his blue eyes and adorable ears. His perfect face and stupidly wonderful hands. Damn him for being so beautiful!

He had found out about his feelings after having lunch with Morgana.

(Three weeks ago)

"Arthur I love you but if I have to hear you complain about not spending enough time with Merlin, I will be forced to harm you and you won't be able to blame me for enjoying it!"

"Morgana you are being overdramatic. I was merely starting a conversation."

"Starting a conversation? Arthur, darling, EVERY conversation we have had has been about Merlin. I know you are in love with him but for the love of God and all that is holy enough is enough!"

Upon hearing the last sentence Arthur's head snapped up and his eyes were wider than it should have been possible.

"I am NOT in love with Merlin!" Arthur said in a panicked voice and slightly shrill.

"First, please do not make that noise ever again. Second, yes you are and I thought you knew because there can't possibly be someone that dense in the entire universe." Morgana's head was beginning to pound in an unfavorable way.

Arthur simply sat opening and closing his mouth while processing this new information.

He did love Merlin but he hadn't realized he was IN love with Merlin. So much made sense now. Of course, he was in love Merlin!

"Arthur? Are you here? Your smile is borderline identical to the Joker's smile and it's scaring people."

"Of course I am in love with him. How did I not know that? Morgana, what do I do? How do I tell him? What if he doesn't love me back?"

Arthur stopped his rant and actually looked at Morgana. She had a sweet smile and was looking at him with a happy expression on her face. It looked weird, he was so accustomed to seeing mischief whenever he looked at Morgana. Said expression changed as quickly as light when her brain caught to him staring at her.

"Arthur I know you are dense but you would have to ridiculously stupid not to know he loves you back. The boy is so in love with you, he is drowning in it."

To say Arthur was happy Merlin loved him is the understatement of the millennium.

 _What to do with this new information?_ Arthur thought.

"Why don't you set up a nice dinner at home and talk to him about it? Unless you talk to him, you won't get anywhere.

The rest of the lunch passed with them discussing ideas of how Arthur was to tell Merlin and Morgana began teasing him every way she could.

(Current time.)

Arthur was struck with a thought.

"You know what Merlin? You are right. I am being crazy and we do see each other every day. I apologize for my behavior. How about I make it up to you? Want to get Chinese takeaway?"

Arthur's 180-degree attitude change made Merlin suspicious but he was starving and just went with it.

That night they had Chinese and had a short Miranda marathon.

"I think Miranda is one of the best shows of all time. Penny has to be my favorite character." Said, Merlin, while heading towards his room. He was ready to say goodbye to consciousness and welcome sleep.

"It is. I would have to say that Stevie is my favorite character followed by Gary a close second."

"We should finish the show tomorrow. You up for it?

"Sure, sounds good. Goodnight Merlin."

"Night Arthur." Said Merlin mid-yawn.

Merlin closed his door and Arthur went into his room.

He waited until he knew Merlin was asleep. Once he knew Merlin was dead to the world, he got to work.

When Merlin woke up the next day, the first thing he noticed was a smell had invaded his room. It was chocolate! Hot chocolate to be exact! Merlin leapt out of bed and tripped on his way to the door. Once he got back up on his feet he raced to the door, tore it open and made a beeline to the kitchen.

There had to be about 20 different mugs on the counter top filled with hot chocolate. The sink was a mess and so was the rest of the kitchen. Arthur stood looking too handsome in the middle of the kitchen attempting to fill yet another mug with the sweet chocolate beverage. He turned when Merlin made a strange noise.

"Oh good morning! Did I wake you?"

Arthur's hair was a mess. He had chocolate on his face, shirt, hands and even his hair. His eyes looked tired but happy.

"What on earth is this?!"

"Well, I have spent the night making different types of hot chocolate. I had started organizing my own set of recipes from my own research a while ago. I wanted to help and to surprise you. I know you have been working ridiculously hard and wanted to do something nice."

Merlin just stood there completely dumbfounded by this gesture.

"Arthur this is amazing. No one has ever done something like this for me before." Merlin whispered as he really took in the sight of him.

"Merlin, I know have been acting like a lunatic and I am sorry about that. I was a tad bit mad that I wasn't spending time with you even though I spend almost every second with you. I noticed that I want to be with you all the time and that I want to be with you as more than a friend. I'm hoping you feel the same way."

Arthur has such a hopeful look on his face. How could anyone say no to a blond, blue-eyed chocolate covered giant ball of mush? Saying no should be considered a crime.

Merlin just crossed over to where Arthur was and gave him a kiss that would forever be ingrained their memories. Morning breath be damned.

Arthur responding enthusiastically. He wrapped his arms around Merlin's waist and held on for dear life.

They parted and took a deep breath.

"I hope you know that meant I do love you back and am so happy you said something." Merlin murmured against Arthur's lips.

The look they shared was so intimate it would turn the coldest of hearts into a warm inviting one.

"Well, I should hope so. Who can resist me?"

"Oh shut up you narcissistic prat."

Merlin went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and Arthur tried to clean up as much as he could. It was Arthur and Merlin's day off, it was raining outside, and they had enough hot chocolate to last them for days. Everything was perfect for their first day as a couple.

It seemed hot chocolate was the finishing touch on their journey to happily ever after.


End file.
